Jabhat-al-Nusra

[Dondilion]

I think we need to take a look at the hands in which our dollars and equipment might fall.

Note particularly the aim of this group.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nusra_Front

[icenine]

that is the difficult question indeed......the rebels do have very unsavoury alliances. I think the Western European allies are concerned about Syria becoming a Hezbollah client state with access to chemical weapons plus the fact that Iran would have even more control in the Middle East than before. I think Saudi Arabia and Jordan do not want that either. Plus there is a growing humanitarian crisis as well.
By the way Iraq has been letting Iran ship arms and use their airspace to help Assad.

It is becoming a proxy war between Iran and Sunni interest in the area. Plus the threat to Israel cannot be discounted. This is a mess that could get worse. It is a difficult issue with no easy answers. It may come to a choice between a stronger Hezbollah on one hand or an Sunni government dominated by Sunni extremists on the other that may be undemocratic and also anti-Israeli.

[piece-itpete]

Hezbollah is helping Assad - how would a rebel win help them and by proxy Iran?

There's a catch 22 going on here. Either we're an awful state player because we support dictators who help our interests, or we're stupid for encouraging rogue elements.

And then, we supported the Libyan rebels and stood behind the Brotherhood in Egypt. The only reason we haven't touched Syria is because of Russia.

Pete

[CarlV]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Hezbollah is helping Assad - how would a rebel win help them and by proxy Iran?

There's a catch 22 going on here. Either we're an awful state player because we support dictators who help our interests, or we're stupid for encouraging rogue elements.

And then, we supported the Libyan rebels and stood behind the Brotherhood in Egypt. The only reason we haven't touched Syria is because of Russia.

Pete

and China.



Carl